Systems and Methods for Administering an Exchange Traded Product (ETP) That Operates Entirely in Cryptocurrency/Blockchain

ABSTRACT

A crypto ETP is administered by a portfolio modeling computer/(PMC), a fund administration computer/(FAC), an order taking platform computer/(OTP), a custodian computer/(CC), and a paying agent settlement computer/(PASC). The PMC defines the ETP and captures data for a cryptocurrency index. The CC tracks Underlying Assets held by the ETP, and sends the data to the FAC, which calculates the NAV of the Underlying Assets to generate a Portfolio Composite File/(PCF) sent to the OTP. The OTP receives and validates/confirms with the CC, orders for creations and redemptions of the ETP from Authorized Parties/(APs), in exchange for the Underlying Assets and/or cryptocurrency. The PASC provides settlement on the Exchange in cryptocurrency by: receiving confirmation from the CC of transfer of underlyings, ETPs or cryptocurrency from the APs to a blockchain wallet associated with the PCM; and issuing units of the ETPs, underlyings or cryptocurrency to the APs.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/824,800, entitled Systems and Methods for Administering an Exchange Traded Product (ETP) That Operates Entirely in Cryptocurrency/Blockchain, filed on Mar. 27, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

This invention relates to data management systems and more particularly to an automated system for aggregating and transforming data from disparate market trading and portfolio management computers to model and produce an exchange-traded product of cryptocurrencies having units tradable on a secondary market exchange.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

An OMS (order management system), also referred to as an OTP (order taking platform) is a specialized computer system developed to manage and execute securities orders in an efficient and cost-effective manner. These systems execute at volumes, speeds and with levels of security and redundancy that require specialized computer hardware and software. Many versions of OMSs have been developed by various entities for use by particular parties to perform their distinct roles in the securities order and trading process. For example, OMSs are used on both the buy-side (e.g., by a fund) and the sell-side (e.g., brokers and dealers), with differing functionality. Brokers and dealers use OMSs specifically customized for their sell-side use when filling orders for various types of securities and are able to track the progress of each order throughout the system. Markets (exchanges) use OMSs that have been specifically customized for their use to manage their operations. Typically only exchange members can connect directly to an exchange, which means that sell-side OMSs may have exchange connectivity, whereas buy-side OMSs are concerned with connecting to sell-side firms. OMSs allow firms to input orders to the system for routing to pre-established destinations. They also allow firms to change, cancel and update orders. When an order is executed on the sell-side, the sell-side OMS must then update its state and send an execution report to the order's originating firm. OMSs support portfolio management by translating intended asset allocation changes into marketable orders for the buy-side. These asset allocation changes typically involve rebalancing a fund's asset allocation to correct for market valuation changes and cashflows, to align an Index Fund with its target index, and to make discretionary or tactical changes initiated by fund managers.

Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), including Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), and Exchange Traded Instruments (ETIs), etc., can take a variety of forms. The most common, ETFs, are essentially a special type of mutual fund (or, less commonly, unit investment trust (UIT)) whose shares trade on a securities exchange. ETF shares may be created or redeemed in unit basket amounts by broker-dealer firms serving as “authorized participants” in the ETF. For most ETFs, creation and redemption of units takes place primarily through the delivery of baskets of securities that closely replicate the current unit holdings of the ETF. ETFs that trade publicly in the U.S. are registered under the 1940 Act as mutual funds or UITs, and are subject to the same investment restrictions as non-ETF versions of those vehicles.

In light of these complexities, specialized exchange-traded fund (ETF) OMSs have been developed to help manage ETFs. ETF OMSs handle the sophisticated operational flows associated with ETFs, including the way their shares are created and redeemed. As mentioned, rather than cash, institutional investors usually deposit a basket (“creation basket”) of stocks “in kind” with the fund in exchange for ETF shares. Typically mirroring the ETF's portfolio, the contents of this creation basket are made available publicly on a daily basis. Likewise, ETF shares can be exchanged for a basket (“redemption basket”) of securities and, sometimes, cash. ETFs must generate these baskets day after day, involving sophisticated risk analytics as well as specialized front-office systems. The accounting side of the operation must also be managed accurately. A net asset value (NAV) for the ETF must not only be calculated at the end of each day, but also a projected NAV for the following day. And as ETF share prices can fluctuate during the day, the ETF OMS must also generate its own intraday version of the NAV. This in turn will determine the contents and hypothetical value of the next day's basket. An example of an ETF OMS is the FlexOMS ETF platform commercially available from FlexTrade System, Inc. (Great Neck, NY). ETP OMS solutions are also commercially available from Charles River Development (CRD), Burlington, MA.

ETFs were first introduced in the U.S. market in 1993 and have enjoyed a high rate of growth in assets and trading volume almost since its introduction. The vast majority of ETFs are ‘passive’, i.e., those based on popular benchmark indexes. Conventional ETFs are based on baskets of conventional assets. It would be desirable, however, to provide ETFs, and ETPs in general, configured to handle cryptocurrency assets. Conventional facilities, including OMSs available for the operational management of passive ETFs are in many respects inappropriate for these ‘crypto’ ETPs, e.g., because of the difficulty of accurately determining the value, and thus the NAV, of potentially highly volatile crypto assets on a timely basis.

Therefore, a need exists for a system and method capable of retrofitting and leveraging conventional OMSs and Exchange infrastructure to create and manage crypto ETPs.

SUMMARY

The appended claims may serve as a summary of the invention. The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and various embodiments may include some, none, or all of the enumerated advantages. Additionally, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing structural aspects of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a table showing operational aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a functional block diagram showing the operational aspects of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a table showing additional operational aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a functional block diagram showing the operational aspects of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a table showing additional operational aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a functional block diagram showing the operational aspects of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a table showing additional operational aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a functional block diagram showing the operational aspects of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is a table showing additional operational aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6B is a functional block diagram showing the operational aspects of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C is a flow chart showing additional aspects of embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6D is a flow chart showing additional aspects of embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6E is an image of a graphical user interface displaying various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 6F is an image of another graphical user interface displaying various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 6G is an image of still another graphical user interface displaying various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of aspects of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a table showing exemplary aspects of the embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system usable with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below. Additionally, unless otherwise specifically noted, articles depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In addition, well-known structures, circuits and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of this description. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

General Overview

As shown and described in the accompanying Figures, embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for administering an exchange traded product (ETP) that operates entirely in cryptocurrency/blockchain, e.g., in which the assets underlying the ETP include cryptocurrency, and the currency used to redeem ETP shares (aka ‘units’) and/or trade the ETP units on secondary markets, is cryptocurrency. Indeed, these embodiments include technical solutions including an accounting process and software that enable the creation of a crypto ETP and the settlement of transactions involving the ETP using a crypto-native process that leverages crypto PCFs (Portfolio Composite Files), crypto-based order taking platforms, blockchain records, and settles against information from public blockchains, running a crypto-native accounting platform.

Aspects of the invention include the recognition that heretofore, no effective solutions were available for creating ETPs or other structured products in the crypto space that address regulators' concerns with regards to the sector. This problem takes various forms:

-   -   Slippage on CR/RD (creation/redemption) as well as Rebalancing:         given the high volatility in the underlyings, it was virtually         impossible to reproduce an index in a daily traded product         without creating significant discrepancies vs the benchmark.         With the lack of margin lending available, cash actual         accounting or other conventional forms of back-charging are         unsuited to the space. The instant embodiments lead to a         relatively low, if not effectively zero, tracking error versus         the benchmark.     -   Cash-Less Product: In order for the product to work, the instant         inventors recognized that aspects of the process needed to be         entirely cash-less (e.g., CR/RD, fees, and/or settlement). This         is because of the slippage issue mentioned above as well as the         need to settle DFP/FOP         (Delivery-Free-of-Payment/Free-of-Payment), which is highly         uncommon, if not non-existent, in conventional funds/markets.     -   Pricing: Given the volatility and the lack of consistency across         platforms or geographies in the pricing of crypto assets (either         in USD or in other currencies), there may be significant         discrepancies between the prices shown by data aggregators and         executable pricing. This may lead to significant market         inefficiencies and can make replicating an index that is settled         daily extremely challenging.     -   Settlement: Prior to the instant invention, there was no         infrastructure available to allow people to settle public market         securities against blockchain transactions. The instant         embodiments bridge the gap between the two markets allowing for         close to real time settlement (typically a couple of hours).         This helps to effectively eliminate counterparty risk during the         transaction and allow all market participants greater visibility         into the product.     -   Custody: Prior to the instant invention, there was no ability to         integrate cold storage (i.e., storage for inactive data) into an         ETP product to verify deposits which exist on a crypto currency         blockchain.

These embodiments thus provide a technical solution made up of process/accounting infrastructure/technical (IT) infrastructure that allows the instant embodiments to run an entirely crypto native ecosystem, including the following.

-   -   1) Crypto denominated accounting books with crypto denominated         final terms/PCF outputs. US Dollar values are typically only         generated as a final output.     -   2) New OTP configured to run off of crypto inputs and wallet         addresses in addition to the traditional cash NAV and SSI         system. This allows these embodiments to make the content         generated in (1) actionable for APs and other trading         counterparties.     -   3) New settlement process which allows these embodiments to use         an entirely crypto settled PCF by making use of information from         public blockchains and reconciling this to outputs generated by         the OTP in substantially real time.     -   4) APs are then able to price on exchange based on true         execution pricing for the underlyings as opposed to relying on         pricing through 3rd party aggregators.

These embodiments thus address the slippage, pricing, and cash-less product concerns as follows.

-   -   Slippage: APs are able to CR/RD on a crypto basis. This         effectively eliminates the possibility of slippage as the system         goes out to 8 decimal places on all orders. APs are able to         deliver the precise amount of crypto (Underlying Assets)         required.     -   Pricing: These embodiments run entirely crypto native accounting         books and allow users to see a true crypto entitlement of the         notes they have purchased. APs can use this to price the notes         on exchange in a more understandable, transparent and efficient         way based on executable pricing across multiple markets. This         results in greater overall market efficiency.     -   Cash-Less/Settlement: By settling orders entirely in crypto,         these embodiments may settle DFP/FOP within a couple of hours by         reconciling directly to records on the public blockchain. This         provides substantial certainty of deposit/withdrawal regardless         of the time of day or the status of the market.     -   Custody: By integrating directly with block explorers and         specialized custodian computers (CCs).

The solution provided by these embodiments is counter-intuitive and contrary to conventional wisdom. These embodiments are highly complex and do not rely on conventional modes of settling and/or pricing because such conventional approaches are unworkable in a crypto context. Running an entirely crypto native system is contrary to existing models because there are no existing solutions capable of operating in a native crypto environment. The instant inventors have built a new technical infrastructure, leveraging various specialized computers, including: a portfolio modeling computer (PMC) 14; a specialized fund administration computer (FAC) 15 that receives Underlying Asset data from a fund database and administers trades throughout a trading day for the ETP; a specialized order taking platform computer (OTP) 16 that interacts with Authorized Participants (APs) to execute creation and redemption orders of the ETP throughout the trading day; a specialized custodian computer (CC) 18; and a specialized paying agent settlement computer (PASC) 24; to support the use of a PCF in crypto, crypto wallet settlement, and reconciliation to public blockchains.

Terminology

As used in the specification and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to “an analyzer” includes a plurality of such analyzers. In another example, reference to “an analysis” includes a plurality of such analyses.

Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. All terms, including technical and scientific terms, as used herein, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs unless a term has been otherwise defined. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning as commonly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure. Such commonly used terms will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless the disclosure herein expressly so defines otherwise.

Where used in this disclosure various terms are defined as follows:

means Central Security Depository at SIX, or any other party appointed by the Exchange in which the Product is listed for the purpose of settlement.

DFP/FOP stands for Delivery-Free-of-Payment and Free-of-Payment, respectively. They refer to the same settlement process where a delivery of securities is not linked to a corresponding transfer of funds. In this case only the securities are moved.

DVP refers to delivery versus payment (DVP), a settlement procedure in which the buyer's payment for securities is due at the time of delivery.

ETP means Exchange Traded Products.

Index means Amun Crypto Basket Index (HODL5), Amun Bitcoin Suisse Index (ABBA), Bitwise 10 Select Index (BIT10), or Amun Sygnum Platform Winners Index (MOON), and/or substantially any other group of securities.

OTP means order taking platform hosted by the issuer.

PCF means Portfolio Composite File.

Product means Amun Crypto ETPs, including series & tranches that are issued in the future.

Underlying(s) or Underlying Asset(s) means any or all of the crypto currencies that are the constituents of the Index.

Trading Days means the days that all relevant parties collectively agreed on as the days when the Product trades and operates. In December of every calendar year, relevant parties shall agree on the trading days for next calendar years and Amun shall notify the APs about the agreed schedule. See, e.g., FIG. 7 , for details regarding trading day schedule for 2020.

Redemption Process refers two types of redemption: AP Redemption, and Investor and Issuer Redemption, which follow different mechanisms. Although Investor and Issuer Redemption is permitted under limited circumstances, the instant embodiments will be shown and described with respect to the AP Order & Redemption Processes which are expected to be implemented routinely in order to support investor trading of units of the ETP on the Exchange.

EST means Easter Standard Time and CET means Central European Time.

As used herein, the terms “computer” and “end-user device” are meant to encompass a workstation, personal computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless telephone, or any other suitable computing device including a processor, a computer readable medium upon which computer readable program code (including instructions and/or data) may be disposed, and a user interface. Terms such as “server”, “application”, “engine”, “component”, “module”, “control components/devices”, “messenger component or service,” and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, including hardware or a combination of hardware and, software. Moreover, the various computer-related entities may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. The terms “real-time” and “on-demand” refer to sensing and responding to external events nearly simultaneously (e.g., within milliseconds or microseconds) with their occurrence, or without intentional delay, given the processing limitations of the system and the time required to accurately respond to the inputs.

Programming Languages

The system and method embodying the present invention can be programmed in any suitable language and technology, such as, but not limited to: Assembly Languages, C, C++; Visual Basic; Java; VBScript; Jscript; Node.js; BCMAscript; DHTM1; XML and CGI. Alternative versions may be developed using other programming languages including, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Active ServerPages (ASP) and Javascript. Any suitable database technology can be employed, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft SQL Server or IBM AS 400, as well as big data and NoSQL technologies, such as, but not limited to, Hadoop or Microsoft Azure.

Referring now to the Figures, embodiments of the present invention will be more thoroughly described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary detailed embodiment of a cryptocurrency basket index ETP system and method in the form of a crypto ETP facility 10. As shown, Authorized Participant(s) 12 initiate the creation or redemption of the ETP from the Issuer 14. Authorized Participants 12 will utilize OTP 16 to place the orders and will use blockchain to transfer Underlying Assets directly to the Custodian 18. Custodian 18 manages and stores the Underlying Assets. In particular embodiments, Administrator 15 provides general administration, accounting and fee calculation among other responsibilities. Collateral Agent 20 is responsible for liquidating the collateral in the event of a default by the issuer 14 pursuant to terms and conditions outlined in an associated prospectus. Index Calculation Agent 30 (FIG. 2B) calculates and publishes the value of the Index. It should be noted that in particular embodiments, Issuer 14 may also serve as the Index Calculation Agent 30, e.g., determining the value of the aforementioned HODL5, ABBA, and/or MOON indexes. A Technical Listing Agent connects the Issuer 14 with the Exchange 26 in the settlement process, while a Global Paying Agent accepts payments from the issuer of a security and then distributes the payments to the holders of the security. In particular embodiments, the Technical Listing Agent and the Global Paying Agent responsibilities are performed by the same entity, e.g., as shown at 24. For convenience of explication, both of these roles will be referred to hereinbelow as being performed by Global Paying Agent (‘Agent’) 24.

Having described a relatively detailed embodiment of the present invention, in a more generalized embodiment, a system and method is provided that has a series of specialized computers operating as part of a specialized trading network, wherein the computers collectively model and generate data for administering a cryptocurrency basket index exchange-traded product (ETP) for creation and redemption of ETP units, including securely communicating ETP portfolio data with specialized market trading systems, and electronically validating and transforming the ETF portfolio data and basket data. The system includes a portfolio modeling computer (PMC) 14 communicably coupled to: a specialized fund administration computer (FAC) 15 that receives Underlying Asset data from a fund database and administers trades throughout a trading day for the ETP; a specialized order taking platform computer (OTP) 16 that interacts with Authorized Participants (APs) 12 to execute creation and redemption orders of the ETP throughout the trading day; a specialized custodian computer (CC) 18; and a specialized paying agent settlement computer (PASC) 24.

The PMC 14 (a) defines a cryptocurrency basket index exchange traded product (ETP) having a number of ETP units available for sale, the ETP units being tradable on one or more secondary markets (Exchange) 26; and (b) captures via secure File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API), and decrypts, using a blockchain explorer, an encrypted Index Composition File (ICF) generated by an index calculation agent, that includes the composition and value at the end of each trading day of a cryptocurrency basket index.

The CC 18 uses a blockchain explorer to track a portfolio of cryptocurrency assets (Underlying Assets) held by the ETP, at least a portion of the Underlying Assets corresponding to the cryptocurrency basket index, to generate daily portfolio data including account statements with balances of the Underlying Assets, and to encrypt and send the portfolio data to the PMC 14 and FAC 15 in a native CC format via secure FTP and/or API.

The PMC 14 then receives via secure FTP and/or API, and decrypts, during the trading day, the portfolio data from the CC 18, and stores and electronically time-stamps the portfolio data. The FAC 15 receives via secure FTP and/or API, and decrypts, the portfolio data, and calculates, with a blockchain explorer, a current net asset value (NAV) of the Underlying Assets held by the ETP each trading day, to generate a Portfolio Composite File (PCF) that includes the NAV. The FAC 15 encrypts and uploads the PCF via secure FTP and/or API, to the OTP 16.

The OTP 16 receives via secure FTP and/or API, and decrypts, orders for creations and redemptions of the ETP units from at least one Authorized Party (AP) 12, in exchange for the Underlying Assets and/or cryptocurrency, and uses a blockchain explorer to encrypt, transfer, and validate/confirm the orders for creations and redemptions by blockchain to the CC 18, so that the OTP 16 uses the PCF to calculate an amount of Underlying Assets or cryptocurrency to transfer during said creations and redemptions.

The PASC provides settlement of the creations and redemptions of ETP units on the Exchange 26 in cryptocurrency by: receiving confirmation from the CC 18 of transfer of underlyings, ETPs or cryptocurrency from the at least one AP to a blockchain wallet associated with the PCM 14; and issuing respective units of the ETPs, underlyings or cryptocurrency to the at least one AP 12. In this embodiment, the Underlying Assets held by the ETP, settlement currency, and record-keeping, are all based on cryptocurrency and/or blockchain, to support efficient trading of the ETP on the Exchange and/or on other secondary markets.

Moreover, as mentioned, in particular embodiments, the OTP performs its operations automatically through a series of secure FTP and/or API integrations with the other components/parties allowing the system to ensure accuracy of the information that is ultimately disseminated to the market, and to provide a transparent record of the ETP's history.

It should be noted that PCF creation involves integrating, e.g., via the OTP 16, a number of specialized computer systems, to capture and parse data from the various specialized computers using FTP, xls uploads, and/or custom APIs e.g., used by custodians and blockchains, in various native formats (e.g., capturing and parsing files from Custodian(s) and Blockchains in native formats). In particular embodiments this parsed data is aggregated and stored in a local and/or cloud-based database to maintain daily records of this information. The aggregated data may also be distributed to the calculating agents to promote efficiency. Examples of the data captured, parsed, aggregated, and stored, include that which is used to calculate the PCF, including custodian balances, prices from the index providers/aggregators, and/or information from official securities registers/exchanges and blockchains.

In various embodiments, the OTP 16 also provides for automated validation and checking of the PCF. The OTP automatically calculates its own internal PCF which it then checks against the values captured from the Current Valuation Module/Adminstrator 15. These embodiments are thus able to identify any errors and allow for correction without human intervention, to help reduce cost, overhead, time needed to distribute data and the rate of errors in calculations distributed to the market. The associated decrease in errors allows for more efficient operation of the various specialized computers used with these embodiments, for efficient price discovery and trading.

The following are more detailed descriptions of aspects and features that may be used in various embodiments of the present invention.

Overview of Timeline and Workflow

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-6B, embodiments of the present invention provide for PCF (Portfolio Composite File) creation at day T−1, order placement at day T, and settlement at day T+1. Briefly described, PCF creation involves Issuer/PMC 14 and/or Administrator/FAC 15 creating a file containing the portfolio of Underlying Assets (e.g., crypto currencies that are the constituents of the Index) and the NAV (Net Asset Value) of the portfolio based on index price and allocation. Issuer 14/Administrator 15 then uploads the PCF to OTP 16. APs 12 may then access the PCF for creation and redemption orders, as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. Order placement and documentation preparation takes place on day T and involves an AP 12 placing an order via OTP 16, and the Issuer 14/Administrator 15/OTP 16 confirming the order and preparing necessary documentation for settlement. Settlement takes place on day T+1 and involves the Paying Agent 24 sending settlement instructions to AP 12 via Exchange 26, and Custodian 18 confirming receipt/transfer of deliverables with the AP 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, PCF Creation at day T−1 will be discussed in greater detail. At Step 1, at the end of the trading day on day T−1, Index Calculation Agent 30 calculates the closing value of the index portfolio, and includes this closing value in an Index Composition File. An exemplary Index Composition File is shown in FIG. 8 . The Index Composition File is then sent, e.g., via secure FTP, to the Issuer 14 directly and/or via Administrator/Accounting Team 15. At Step 2, Custodian 18 provides daily account statements with balances of the underlying assets, to Administrator/Accounting Team 15 and Issuer 14. At Step 3, Accounting/FAC 15 calculates daily NAV, PCF (and associated fees), and uploads the PCF to OTP 16. An exemplary PCF is shown in FIG. 9 . At Step 4, OTP 16 sends the PCF and/or generates notification of the new PCF, to APs 12 and any OTC Partners 32.

Operation Procedures

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-6B, Authorized Participant order processes will be shown and described. In particular embodiments, an AP 12 creates and/or redeems products (e.g., units of the ETP) from Issuer 14. These creation and redemption orders are settled on day T+1. In particular embodiments, any orders placed after a pre-determined cut-off time on T will be considered invalid. Similarly, any delivery of underlyings after a pre-determined cut-off time on T+1 may also be canceled.

Turning now to FIGS. 3A-4B in particular, two types of order activities will be discussed: Authorized Participant Creation Order—In Kind (FIGS. 3A-3B); and Authorized Participant Redemption Order—In Kind (FIGS. 4A-4B). In should also be noted that in addition to AP Redemptions, particular embodiments also provide for Investor & Issuer Redemption, which will be discussed hereinbelow.

As shown in FIGS. 3A-3B, an In-Kind AP Creation Order involves the aforementioned PCF Creation Steps 1-4, followed by order placement Steps 5 and 6 on day T and order settlement Steps 7-11 on day T+1.

At Step 5, an AP 12 places creation order on OTP 16, and places settlement instruction to its back office. An exemplary creation order form is shown in FIG. 10 . OTP 16 automatically generates a notification to Issuer 14, Administrator/FAC 15, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24, and Custodian/CC 18. At Step 6, before the end of day T, Issuer/PMC 14 delivers an in-kind deposit/withdrawal form to Custodian/CC 18 and Adminstrator/FAC 15 uploads an order confirmation to OTP 16. An exemplary in-kind deposit/withdrawal form is shown in FIG. 11 , and an exemplary order confirmation form is shown in FIG. 12 .

As mentioned, order settlement involves steps 7-11 on day T+1. At Step 7, APs 12 transfer the underlying assets to a transaction wallet (blockchain wallet) of Issuer 14. In particular embodiments, the AP's transaction wallet is managed by Custodian/CC 18 pursuant to settlement information received in the Order Confirmation Form. Each AP 12 will have a designated transaction wallet. Optionally, the APs 12 may provide trade confirmation/screenshot of a trade ID along with the transfer. At Step 8, the transfer of the underlyings is confirmed by Custodian/CC 18 via blockchain, to Issuer/PMC 14, Administrator/FAC 15, and Global Paying Agent/PASC 24. At Step 9, upon receipt of the confirmation via blockchain, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 issues respective units of the ETPs to each AP 12 via entry in a book of uncertificated securities maintained by Issuer 14. An exemplary entry into a book of uncertificated securities is shown in FIG. 13 . Concurrently, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 (i) registers new units of ETPs in the main register of Exchange 26 and (ii) credits these to the AP's account at the Exchange 26 via delivery free of payment (DfP) transfer instructions. At Step 10, final Terms & Conditions are posted by Issuer/PMC 14 on public website and in some instances, to Exchange 26. At Step 11, Exchange 26 clears ETPs on a DFP/FOP (Delivery-Free-of-Payment/Free-of-Payment) basis and creates securities in accounts for each AP 12 at CSD (Central Security Depository) (not shown). Also at Step 11, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 notifies Issuer 14 and Administrator 15 of the transaction.

As shown in FIGS. 4A-4B, an In-Kind AP Redemption Order involves the aforementioned PCF Creation Steps 1-4, followed by AP Creation Order In-Kind Steps 5 and 6, followed by Steps 107-112 on day T+1.

At Step 107, Issuer 14 instructs Custodian/CC 18 to prepare to withdraw and retrieve underlyings from storage using an In-Kind Withdrawal Form, such as shown in FIG. 11 . At Step 108, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24: (i) deregisters units of ETPs in the main register of Exchange 26 and (ii) debits these ETPs from the AP's account with Exchange 26 via delivery free of payment (DfP) transfer instructions. Upon completion of Step 108, Step 109 is executed, which involves Global Paying Agent 24 notifying Issuer 14 to cancel respective units of ETPs to AP via entry in the Issuers book of uncertificated securities, e.g., as shown in FIG. 13 . Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 also notifies Administrator/FAC 15. At Step 110, Issuer 14 confirms In-Kind Withdrawal, e.g., via phone, with Custodian/CC 18, instructing Custodian 18 to move relevant underlyings from ETP to AP's wallet/account per settlement instructions provided in the aforementioned order form (e.g., of FIG. 11 . Upon completion of Step 110, at Step 111, Custodian/CC 18 transfers the underlyings to AP's designated wallet addresses. At Step 112, the transfer is confirmed on blockchain, e.g., by Custodian 18, and AP 12 confirms receipt of the relevant underlyings.

As shown in FIGS. 5A-5B, a Cash AP Creation Order involves the aforementioned PCF Creation Steps 1-4, followed by Steps 205 and 206 on day T, followed by Steps 207-210 on day T+1.

At Step 205, an AP 12 places a creation order on Exchange 16, e.g., using an order form as shown in FIG. 9 , along with settlement instructions. Exchange 16 then generates a notification to Issuer/PMC 14, Administrator/FAC 15, and Custodian/CC 18 (and optionally to other parties, e.g., Calculation Agent, Global Paying Agent, Lending Desk, and OTC Desk, etc. (It should be noted that as used herein, reference to ‘Exchange’ 26 refers to substantially any market, including over-the-counter (OTC) markets by which assets may be transacted between parties.) At Step 206, Issuer 14 confirms the order with AP 12, e.g., by uploading an order confirmation form such as shown in FIG. 11 .

It should be noted that in various embodiments, the Administrator/FAC 15 is communicably coupled to various trading platforms (e.g., Exchanges 26) to capture and display ticking quotes for the underlyings so the APs 12 know what prices they are paying. Moreover, these embodiments enable trades to be executed in real time, i.e., substantially immediately once the order is placed, to help prevent any slippage from taking place.

At Step 207, AP 12 transfers cash to Custodian/CC 18, and Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 issues respective units of ETPs to AP 12 by uploading to Issuer 14 an entry in the Issuer's book of uncertificated securities, e.g., as shown in FIG. 12 . Concurrently, Global Paying Agent 24: (i) registers new units of ETPs in the main register of Exchange 26 and (ii) credits these new units to the AP's account at the Exchange 26 (e.g., creation of new ETPs as intermediated securities via delivery vs. payment (DVP) transfer instructions). At Step 208, upon completion of Step 207, Custodian/CC 18 confirms receipt of cash, e.g., via custodian API, to Issuer 14 and to Administrator 15 (and optionally to Calculation Agent (not shown) and Global Paying Agent 24). At Step 209, Final Terms & Conditions are posted by Issuer 14 on a public website for series upsize. At Step 210, Exchange 26 clears ETPs on a DFP/FOP basis and creates securities in the account of AP 12, while Global Paying Agent 24 notifies Issuer 14 of the completed transaction.

As shown in FIGS. 6A-6B, a Cash AP Redemption Order involves the aforementioned PCF Creation Steps 1-4, followed by AP Creation Order In-Kind Steps 5 and 6, followed by Steps 407-410 on day T+1.

At Step 407, Issuer/PMC 14 instructs Custodian/CC 18 to prepare to retrieve Cash from the AP's account, e.g., using wire instructions, while Issuer 14 unwinds any short sale of the ETP. At Step 408, Global Paying Agent/PASC 24: (i) deregisters new units of ETPs in the main register of Exchange 26; and (ii) debits these from the AP's account with Exchange 26, via delivery free of payment (DVP) transfer instructions. At Step 409, upon completion of Step 8, Global Paying Agent 24 cancels respective units of ETPs to AP 12 via entry in the Issuers book of uncertificated securities, e.g., as shown in FIG. 12 . Global Paying Agent/PASC 24 also notifies Issuer/PMC 14 and Administrator/FAC 15 of the cancellation. At Step 410, AP 12 confirms receipt of cash to Issuer 14.

Turning now to FIGS. 6C and 6D, embodiments of the present invention optionally enable an AP 12 to send the OTP bitcoin (BTC) or stable coin in exchange for purchasing the relevant crypto on their behalf in a process referred to as a “BTC Create.” In this process: OTP 16 consumes PCF information, OTP determines best execution on the market via API integrations with multiple custodians and exchanges, and the OTP displays ticking prices to Aps 12 who are then able to accept or reject the price. This process may be significantly less costly than conventional approaches used for conventional ETFs which require a staffed capital markets desk. In particular embodiments, e.g., involving an index with a relatively large number of components, this process is also more efficient than an in-kind settled process. This process also avoids exposing the issuer 14 or investors in the ETP to any slippage on execution.

Still further, as shown in FIGS. 6E-6G, data captured and parsed by these embodiments are then available through a dashboard which allows for easy data visualization, e.g., of order history, transactions, PCFs and values. This occurs in a centralized manner, by parsing the data captured in the various native formats from the specialized computers, to generate a result that is unavailable from conventional sources.

Dealings of Cryptos by Issuer

It should be recognized that during its course of business, the Issuer may engage in the sale of crypto assets for fiat currencies. Scenarios involving sale of crypto assets include but not limited to the following:

-   -   Investor Fees: crypto assets received as Investor Fee are sold         periodically for fiat currencies to fund the day-to-day         operation of the Issuer.     -   Additional Fees: the product may incur additional fees such as         below; these fees will be deducted from the proceeds of any sale         of crypto assets following the sale of investor fees, and may         include Processing Fees Payable to Administrators & Accounting         Team, Transaction Fees Payable to Custodian, and Other         transaction fees payable to execution partners.     -   Rebalancing: the weight allocation of the Underlying Assets in         the Index may change after the rebalancing at the end of each         month, thus requiring the purchase or sale of crypto assets to         ensure the Collateral properly matches the new composition. In         particular embodiments, this rebalancing is accomplished         automatically by OTP 16 by capturing updated index data,         recalculating exposures, executing trades to achieve a desired         balance. This allows execution as close to the rebalance time as         possible to reduce the need for human traders and accountants         (to help reduce cost and slippage).     -   Fork: new type of crypto assets may be created in the event of         fork. In the situation where Authorized Participant delivers the         newly forked crypto assets as part of its order, the Issuer may         sell the newly forked assets received at the next rebalance.     -   Airdrop: similar to forks, forked assets may be sold at the next         rebalance.

Fork

A “fork” is a scenario where a developer or group of developers can split the code base powering a crypto asset into two or more branches of variations of development. Forks result in the creation of a new asset which derives from the original blockchain. For example, a fork in the Bitcoin blockchain resulted in the creation of Bitcoin Cash. These new assets are completely separate new entities. The recipient of the new asset must take specific actions to receive the newly created units (including setting up a wallet on that blockchain). Holders of the original asset are under no obligation to do so and have the option to simply forgo the event.

Embodiments of the present invention may optionally support forks in the underlying assets, e.g., by adding the forked assets to the baskets of the underlying assets.

Airdrop

Airdrops are substantially equivalent to a dividend in kind and result in the creation/allocation of new units of an existing asset to participants in the blockchain. The new units of crypto asset are allocated to some but not necessarily all participants on a blockchain and are typically designed to incentivize specific behavior in the network (increased participation, maintaining infrastructure etc.). These actions are rare and generally only occur in smaller crypto assets (by market cap). Unlike a fork, an airdrop does not result in the creation of a new asset but rather allocated additional units to specific wallets (i.e. for every 1 BTC in a wallet would now have 2 BTC if it were participating in the airdrop). As a result, Airdrops do not require any special action to be taken by the Issuer in order to participate in the airdrop.

FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exemplary form of a computer system 300 within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one of the methodologies discussed above, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine may include a network router, a network switch, a network bridge, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance or any machine capable of executing a sequence of instructions that specify actions to be taken by that machine.

The computer system 300 includes a processor 302, a main memory 304 and a static memory 306, which communicate with each other via a bus 308. The computer system 300 may further include a video display unit 310 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, cathode ray tube (CRT), etc.). The computer system 300 may also include an alpha-numeric input device 312 (e.g., a keyboard or touchscreen), a cursor control device 314 (e.g., a mouse), a drive (e.g., disk, flash memory, etc.) unit 316, a signal generation device 320 (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device 322.

The drive unit 316 includes a computer-readable medium 324 on which is stored a set of instructions (i.e., software) 326 embodying any one, or all, of the methodologies described above. The software 326 is also shown to reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 304 and/or within the processor 302. The software 326 may further be transmitted or received via the network interface device 322. For the purposes of this specification, the term “computer-readable medium” shall be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a sequence of instructions for execution by the computer and that cause the computer to perform any one of the methodologies of the present invention. The term “computer-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic disks.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention include a computer program code-based product, which includes a computer readable storage medium having program code stored therein which can be used to instruct a computer to perform any of the functions, methods and/or modules associated with the present invention. The non-transitory computer readable medium includes any of, but not limited to, the following: CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic tape, optical disc, hard drive, floppy disk, ferroelectric memory, flash memory, ferromagnetic memory, optical storage, charge coupled devices, magnetic or optical cards, smart cards, EEPROM, EPROM, RAM, ROM, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, and/or any other appropriate static, dynamic, or volatile memory or data storage devices, but does not include a transitory signal per se.

It should be noted that the various modules and other components of the embodiments discussed hereinabove may be configured as hardware, as computer readable code stored in any suitable non-transitory computer usable medium, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, phase-change memory, magnetic disks, etc., and/or as combinations thereof, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It should be further understood that any of the features described with respect to one of the embodiments described herein may be similarly applied to any of the other embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In the preceding specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

The above systems are implemented in various computing environments. For example, the present invention may be implemented on a conventional IBM PC or equivalent, multi-nodal system (e.g., LAN) or networking system (e.g., Internet, WWW, wireless web). All programming and data related thereto are stored in computer memory, static or dynamic or non-volatile, and may be retrieved by the user in any of: conventional computer storage, display (e.g., CRT, flat panel LCD, plasma, etc.) and/or hardcopy (i.e., printed) formats. The programming of the present invention may be implemented by one skilled in the art of computer systems and/or software design.

Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems. Moreover, the particular naming of the components, capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features may have different names, formats, or protocols.

Moreover, unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention.

The present invention is well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks comprise storage devices and computers that are communicatively coupled to dissimilar computers and storage devices over a network, such as the Internet.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein may be performed by more, fewer, or other components and the methods described may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. It should be further understood that any of the features described with respect to one of the embodiments described herein may be similarly applied to any of the other embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.

To aid the Patent Office and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants wish to note that they do not intend any of the appended claims or claim elements to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim. 

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 1-18. (canceled)
 19. A system comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories including instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving a creation order from an authorized participant for units of an exchange traded product (ETP) that contains a cryptocurrency; confirming a transfer over a blockchain of an amount of the cryptocurrency from the authorized participant in exchange for the units; determining a number of the units to provide to the authorized participant; initiating a settlement process for the creation order in which the number of units are issued to the authorized participant; receiving data in multiple formats from multiple computers, the data being associated with the ETP; and providing, based on the data, a graphical dashboard configured for managing the ETP, the graphical dashboard including information about the ETP.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise: parsing and aggregating the data to generate the graphical dashboard.
 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the graphical dashboard is configured for managing multiple ETPs.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the information is about the multiple ETPs.
 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the graphical dashboard indicates an order status associated with a most recent creation order or a most recent redemption order.
 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise: transmitting delivery-free-of-payment (DFP) instructions to an exchange, the DFP instructions being configured to cause the exchange to credit the number of units to an account of the authorized participant on the exchange.
 25. The system of claim 19, wherein the number of the units is determined based on the amount of the cryptocurrency received from the authorized participant in exchange for the units.
 26. A method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, a creation order from an authorized participant for units of an exchange traded product (ETP) that contains a cryptocurrency; confirming, by the one or more processors, a transfer over a blockchain of an amount of the cryptocurrency from the authorized participant in exchange for the units; determining, by the one or more processors, a number of the units to provide to the authorized participant; initiating, by the one or more processors, a settlement process for the creation order in which the number of units are issued to the authorized participant; receiving, by the one or more processors, data in multiple formats from multiple computers, the data being associated with the ETP; and providing, by the one or more processors and based on the data, a graphical dashboard configured for managing the ETP, the graphical dashboard including information about the ETP.
 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising: parsing and aggregating the data to generate the graphical dashboard.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the graphical dashboard is configured for managing multiple ETPs.
 29. The method of claim 18, wherein the information is about the multiple ETPs.
 30. The method of claim 26, wherein the graphical dashboard indicates an order status associated with a most recent creation order or a most recent redemption order.
 31. The method of claim 26, further comprising: transmitting delivery-free-of-payment (DFP) instructions to an exchange, the DFP instructions being configured to cause the exchange to credit the number of units to an account of the authorized participant on the exchange.
 32. The method of claim 26, wherein the number of the units is determined based on the amount of the cryptocurrency received from the authorized participant in exchange for the units.
 33. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that is executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving a creation order from an authorized participant for units of an exchange traded product (ETP) that contains a cryptocurrency; confirming a transfer over a blockchain of an amount of the cryptocurrency from the authorized participant in exchange for the units; determining a number of the units to provide to the authorized participant; initiating a settlement process for the creation order in which the number of units are issued to the authorized participant; receiving data in multiple formats from multiple computers, the data being associated with the ETP; and providing, based on the data, a graphical dashboard configured for managing the ETP, the graphical dashboard including information about the ETP.
 34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the operations further comprise: parsing and aggregating the data to generate the graphical dashboard.
 35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the graphical dashboard is configured for managing multiple ETPs.
 36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the information is about the multiple ETPs.
 37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the graphical dashboard indicates an order status associated with a most recent creation order or a most recent redemption order.
 38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the operations further comprise: transmitting delivery-free-of-payment (DFP) instructions to an exchange, the DFP instructions being configured to cause the exchange to credit the number of units to an account of the authorized participant on the exchange. 